BoJamesDuke

Cooter smiled out at B.L...working on the General was bound to take Luke's mind off of things as he had intended it to. Daisy swallowed, she really didn't want to have to get Luke in here.....it was only a nightmare and once Bo woke up he would be alright again. "Doc....ain't there somethin' we can do without gettin' Luke in here? I mean....its just a nightmare....he'll be alright once he wakes up won't he? Back to his normal self again...." She was mainly saying this for her own reassurance more than anything else....

Cooter smiled gently back at her and ruffled her hair before taking the box of parts and gently pulling them out the box, checking them over for any damage before getting to work on the engine. Daisy let out a small sob as she heard Bo and wanted nothing more than to just get Luke in here, but she knew he needed some time alone if he wasn't already in here with Bo. Instead of trying to wake Bo up though, seeing it was a fruitless gesture, she just listened in as Bo mumbled to himself....or rather to the pillow he apparently thought was the dead Luke....after a while she tiptoed out the room and gently called to the Doc. "Hey Doc....come listen ta this a minute...."

When Luke gave no response, Cooter looked over to her and nodded, ducking under the hood to get a better look at the engine. "Sure B.L....where's the new parts Luke, still in the back?" Daisy was jolted from her sleep as she heard the low groan and instantly rushed to the boy's bedroom, her heart breaking as she saw Bo's eyes scrunched up tight, soft tears leaking from underneath his soft eyelashes. She sat next to him on the bed, noticing he was once more clutching the pillow to his chest and also slightly rocking. "Bo....hunny its Daisy....c'mon now hunny wake up fer me, s'only a dream..." But Bo didn't respond to her, only whimpered more and clutched tighter to the pillow. "no...no Daisy....Luke's gone and I'm goin' with him....I'm goin' with him Daisy....I can't live without him Daisy...."

Cooter nodded and rose to his feet....even he couldn't imagine life without Bo Duke grinning everywhere he went and coming up with ridiculously blonde comments every now and again....HAzzard just wouldn't be the same without him....he still couldn't believe Bo was going to die....it just didn't seem right or possible.... In his room, Bo moaned softly as yet another nightmare took hold.....

Cooter nodded and sighed as he heard the joy that had once sprung up in the word 'race' now wiped from Luke's tone. "I see....I'm so sorry Luke.....I just, I don't know what ta say ya know.....I'll help ya tune him up if ya like.....fit those new parts...."

Cooter nodded and sat the other side of Luke, hating the uncomfortable silence that had fallen....it was too eeriee. "So I's guessin' you's ain't gonna be racin' on Saturday then?" The main reason he had come out here was to see if they were and to help them tune the General for a bit...but now he wasn't sure...

Cooter looked up and smiled slightly at B.L "Well there's the disappearin' act! Been wonderin' where ya been....can see why ya been here though...." Bo shifted slightly in his sleep, feeling a little better now that he was clean again. He opened his eyes a little to find that Luke had in fact torn himself away from Bo for a while. He smiled slightly to himself and settles back down into sleep.

Jesse nodded again, getting up from the chair and heading to his room. "I's goin' ta lie down a while...wake me up if anythin' happens." Without waiting for a reply he closed his door and sank onto his bed, laying down and saying silent prayers to the lord above. Cooter wrapped an arm round his friends shoulder but made no move to do anything other than that. He didn't know what to do....

Jesse shuddered and bowed his head, running his hand down his face before looking back up at the Doc. "Which do you think is best Doc? I just don't know if Bo's up ta surgery....minor or no...." Cooter shook his head. "Luke....if this is what you's like now....d'ya really expect me ta believe ya gonna be better if it does happen?"

Jesse nodded and looked up at the Doc. "How are ya goin' ta....insert the tube and all....and when?" Cooter sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, He didn't know what to feel, do or say....what do you say when you just learnt that one of your best friends who was more like family to you is dying? He stepped more into the barn and softly put a hand on Luke's arm. "I wish I could tell ya Luke....but....I wouldn't be more concerned about Daisy....i think everyone's gonna be more concerned about you...."

Jesse nodded. "S'good....maybe Cooter can talk ta him a little bit....maybe talk some sense inta him a little...." Cooter was once again stunned into silence, left gaping at what he had just heard.. "He can't be! i saw him just a few days ago! I mean how can he go from bein' so much better ta dyin' in a couple o'days?!"

Jesse drew a deep breath as B.L wrapped her arms around his shoulders and closed his eyes as the Doc gave his verdict on how long he believed Bo had left. He didn't like the idea of a feeding tube anymore than Luke did....but if it gave Bo just that little bit more time with them....then he was willing to try anything. Cooter stood in silence for a moment as he let Luke's words sink in before asking warily, Luke was looking a tad unpredictable at the moment and that was a Luke he didn't want to get on the wrong side of. "Lose....lose Bo? What d'ya mean....lose Bo?"

Jesse sighed and looked up at B.L as she entered the room and smiled as much as he could which really wasn't very much. "Just Luke havin' a realisation.....B.L....you need ta sit down to hear this...." He waited a moment for B.L. to sit down, as she looked between him and the Doc worriedly. "B.L....I'm tellin' ya this because out of You and Daisy you's the one that's gonna be able to accept this the best....we're.....we're losin' Bo....the outcome of this don't look good B.L....we can all see it he just ain't gettin' no better....and Luke's only just realised that...." Cooter pulled up into the yard, getting out the wrecker cheerily to see his buddy's and B.L who he hadn't seen since Bo had come out the hospital. But, as soon as he heard the commotion in the barn he headed that way to find Luke flinging buckets and sobbing hysterically. He ducked one that came his way and called out softly. "Hey buddy roe, I know I ain't the best lookin' person in the world but ya don't have ta go to such dramatic measures ta get me lookin' better...."

Jesse winced as he heard Luke throwing things and Maudine kicking her stall, but sank into a kitchen chair. "Fine Amos....just Luke is realisin' what we's all....Bo included....realisin' is all.....if ya think a feedin' tube is gonna help Doc then you's got my permission ta do it...."

Jesse heard the sob and the thud and briefly entertained the idea of running back to Luke....but thought that maybe now that everythin had been said, Luke just needed some time alone to think things over and start to get his head around what was really happening. He knew that Luke had kinda blinded himself to how ill Bo really was.... He stepped back into the farmhouse without a word, leaning against the counter.

Jesse in the meantime had long resided himself to the fact that it was now a very real possibility that he was going to lose his youngest. It had hurt him when he had realised it, even gone off privatly to weep a little knowing how imminent that fact was. He placed a hand on Luke's shoulder consoloingly, walking past him but whispering gently as he did. "You have to let go sometimes Luke....sometimes its just better for everyone if ya let them go..." He carried on walking, straight back into the house without looking back at Luke.

He nodded gently and spoke as soothingly as he could. "I know Luke...but if we's don't get somethin' inta him soon then we's gonna have no choice or we're gonna lose him....and I know that you's gonna say puttin' the tube in his throat might make us lose him too....but if ya think like that then we're in a lose-lose situation anyhow....we's just gotta hope that Bo ain't gonna be so stubborn...."

He glared sharply at Luke, pointing his finger at him. "You better watch yer mouth boy, no more cussin'." He waited for the nod from Luke before continuing. "Luke I don't like this neither....but what makes ya think forcin' food down Bo's throat is gonna be any eaisier or nicer fer him than the tube? I know it's a lot fer him and you and all o'us to take....but we have to listen ta what the Doc thinks we should do, he is the professional.....and he is the one trying to make Bo better so's he can be up and about with us again....ya know that...."

By the time they had gotten Bo back into the room, he was too wore out to notice any exchanging of looks going on. He sank gratefully back onto the bed and his eyes were practically closed as soon as his head hit the pillow. Jesse smiled gently and covered him up, seeing how his temperature was back to normal again and gently motioned Luke with him, saying a soft goodnight to Bo before practically having to drag Luke outside to the barn where they could talk as loud as they wanted without being overheard by the sleeping occupants or the Doc, knowing Luke was going to have some hard words to say about what was coming. "I's spoke to the Doc and he's noticed how thin Bo's got too....and the only thing....that is gonna help him if he ain't gonna co-operate, which he hasn't been....is ta....insert a feeding tube....give him food and drink that way...."

Jesse sighed and nodded, getting up. "I better get him out that bath...he'll catch a cold on top of everythin' else...." He turned dejectedly and back to the bathroom, perking up enough that only if you really looked at him would you be able to tell there was something the matter. "C'mon Bo, let's get ya out 'afore ya catch somethin' else."

Jesse paled a little as the Doc explained a little more....he had thought that a feeding tube was just like a sline drip...excpet with nutrients in it instead of that.... He sunk down at the table, resting his chin in his hand and shaking his head. "I just...I don't know what to do with him...." Bo sat in the bubbles, just quietly contemplating how nice this was....not having a care in the world....it was like the water had washed them all away again....

Jesse sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face....another needle and this time Bo was alert and aware as to the tricks.... "Is there no other way?" Bo grinned and relaxed a little more into the water, wiggling his toes underneath the bubbles.

Bo spluttered himself and grabbed Luke's wrist, weakly pulling him down and shaking his head so water splattered from his hair all over Luke. "Yeah....guess we better stop...." Jesse looked back towards the bathroom, smiling slightly and nodded. "Yeah....he looked happier when we's got him in the water....I wanted ta ask ya 'bout how thin Bo is....we's can't get him ta eat anythin' and the ribs kinda starting to poke through his skin's got me and Luke kinda worried....can ya do anythin'....or suggest anythin'?"

Bo nodded and watched as Jesse left the room with a smile....that quickly turned into a playful frown as Luke flicked water at him. He knew Luke was joking....but he had a whole bathtub fulll of water at his disposal...he snuck his free hand underneath the water below Luke's face and quickly flicked upwards, causing a decent amount of water to splash over Luke. Jesse walked down the hall to check on the girls before heading into the kitchen where the Doc was. "Amos...I need yer help with somethin'...."

Jesse chuckled at the boys antics, smoothing Bo's hair back down as he washed the last of the suds away before standing up. "You gonna be alright in here Luke if I's go and check on Daisy and B.L a while?" He raised an eyebrow, making sure Luke knew who he really intended to go talk to.